Bethlehem High School is a coeducational, Roman Catholic high school in

Bardstown Bardstown is a home rule-class city in Nelson County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 11,700 in the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Nelson County. Bardstown is named for the pioneering Bard brothers. David Bard obtained a l ...

, Kentucky, United States. It is part of the Archdiocese of Louisville, and is one of only two coeducational high schools among the nine overseen by the archdiocese (the other being Holy Cross High School in Louisville). Its sports teams have had successes in the 21st century. In 2006, the boys' soccer team won the Class A state title, the football team beat Bardstown for the 9th district title, and boys' basketball won the 19th District Championship. In 2008, the boys' soccer team again won the Class A State title, and the cheerleading squad placed first at the Jamfest National Championship Competition. The boys' soccer team won the Class A State Championship for the third time in 2011.

History

Bethlehem High School began in 1819 when

Bishop Flaget Benedict Joseph Flaget (November 7, 1763 – February 11, 1850) was a French-born Catholic bishop in the United States. He served as the Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Bardstown between 1808 and 1839. When the see was transferred to L ...

requested the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth to open an elementary day school for the children in the

area. Brother David, the founder of this religious order, provided the school, which was staffed by Sisters Harriet Gardiner, Polly Beavin and Nancy Lynd. The name "Bethlehem" was given to this new school to signify the birth of the first branch house stemming from Nazareth, the Motherhouse of the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth. Bethlehem continued as an elementary school until 1911, when St. Joseph Preparatory High School for boys was founded. The boys attended "St. Joe Prep", as the school was affectionately called, while girls continued their schooling at Bethlehem. Bethlehem's first high school graduating class was in 1913. From 1911 until 1953, Bethlehem continued as a co-educational elementary school, and a girls' high school. In the fall of 1953, St. Joseph Parochial Elementary School (now St. Joseph School), built by St. Joseph Parish, opened. Bethlehem was operated exclusively as a parish high school for girls, no longer owned by the Sisters, but staffed by them. In 1968, St. Joe Prep closed. In 1970, Bethlehem became a co-educational high school, as it continues today. Bethlehem is the only Roman Catholic high school in the Archdiocese of Louisville outside of Jefferson County. It serves eight counties and 35 parishes, with a current enrollment of around 300 students. The school mascots are the

Eagle Eagle is the common name for many large birds of prey of the family Accipitridae. Eagles belong to several groups of genera, some of which are closely related. Most of the 68 species of eagle are from Eurasia and Africa. Outside this area, just ...

s for the boys' teams and the

Banshees A banshee ( ; Modern Irish , from sga, ben síde , "woman of the fairy mound" or "fairy woman") is a female spirit in Irish folklore who heralds the death of a family member, usually by screaming, wailing, shrieking, or keening. Her name ...

for the girls' teams.

Extracurricular activities

Bethlehem High School has a variety of extracurricular activities in sports and non-athletic areas, including drama, speech,

National Honor Society The National Honor Society (NHS) is a nationwide organization for high school students in the United States and outlying territories, which consists of many chapters in high schools. Selection is based on four criteria: scholarship (academic achi ...

, Spirit Club, choir,

student council A student council (also known as a student union, associated student body or student parliament) is an administrative organization of students in different educational institutes ranging from elementary schools to universities and research or ...

, golf, and cross country.

Notable alumni

* Thabiso Khumalo, former South African footballer *

J. Mark Spalding Joseph Mark Spalding, Doctor of Divinity, D.D., J.C.L. (born January 13, 1965) is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He has been serving as bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Nashville, Diocese of Nashville in Tennessee sin ...

, 12th bishop of the

Diocese of Nashville The Diocese of Nashville ( la, Dioecesis Nashvillensis) is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Catholic Church that encompasses 38 counties spread over 16,302 square miles of Middle Tennessee. The Catholic population of the d ...

References

External links

School website
{{authority control Catholic secondary schools in Kentucky Buildings and structures in Bardstown, Kentucky Educational institutions established in 1819 Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Louisville Schools in Nelson County, Kentucky